Iran's leaders (and a good deal of his cabinet) are members of the "Twelver" sect of Shiite Islam, who believe they need to help facilitate the return of the 12th or "Hidden" Imam - which is Islam's version of The Rapture, Second Coming, and apocalypse.

To help this happens, a large-scale, cataclysmic bettle between good and evil needs to start. Then the Imam returns, evil is vanquished, and paradise happens.

Although designed as a technology demonstrator, the planned satellite launch would be a potent political and emotional weapon in the Middle East.

The new space launcher and ongoing missile development is also significant in that it highlights close technological ties between the Iranian and North Korean missiles programs, intelligence agencies agree.

Analysts at the strategic think tank GlobalSecurity.org believe that the new Iranian modification could be a stepping stone to an Iranian clone of the North Korean Taep'O-Dong 2C/3 ballistic missile that failed in a launch attempt from North Korea last July 4.

A November 2006 Congressional Research Service report reinforced concerns over Iranian and North Korean missile development ties. It notes that Israel's military intelligence chief has information indicating that North Korea has shipped to Iran eighteen 1,500 mi. range BM-25 ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

"Largely with foreign help, Iran is becoming self-sufficient in the production of ballistic missiles," says the report's author, Kenneth Katzman. And he reminds that a 2006 U.S. National Security Strategy Document notes, "The United States may face no greater challenge from a single country than Iran."

In the attack, five American soldiers were killed and three were wounded. Four American soldiers were executed after they were captured and spirited away in the attackers’ vehicles, found later 25 miles from the attack site by Iraqi police.

If confirmed to be a Qods Force operation, this is an act of war by the State of Iran upon the United States of America that can scarcely be swept away as have similar acts, including the 1983 bombing of the United States Embassy and the Marine Barracks in Beirut, the bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996, or even the supply of explosives, weapons, training and cash to various enemy combatants in Iraq since 2003.

I agree that they are crazy MFers but it's also a shame that they can't have the same riches as us . . . . nuclear power.

I have no problem with them having nuclear power, especially if they let us install it and monitor it!

They have something to hide. Plain and simple. They won't let us or any UN group monitor their actions... which means they are building a bomb.

I'm not really worried, Israel will take care of them. Just like they did with Iraq's nuclear facilities. I could see them building a nuclear device and then sneaking into Iraq and blowing up several of our armed forces. The longer we wait, the more power they get.

I have no problem with them having nuclear power, especially if they let us install it and monitor it!

They have something to hide. Plain and simple. They won't let us or any UN group monitor their actions... which means they are building a bomb.

I'm not really worried, Israel will take care of them. Just like they did with Iraq's nuclear facilities. I could see them building a nuclear device and then sneaking into Iraq and blowing up several of our armed forces. The longer we wait, the more power they get.

I agree that Isreal will do the deed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fr3db3ar

I don't have a problem with others having nuclear power......if everybody would just quit fucking making bombs out of it, it'd all be good

If all they wanted was nuclear power, they would buy an existing plant design and the fuel that it used.

U-235 nuclear plant fuel (despite all of the hype) is not weapons-grade material - it's not enriched enough (95%+ for weapons). So, if all they wanted was fuel, they'd buy it and save all of the time and expense involved in developing their own enrichment process and program.